Duyfken cannon fires up for next adventure

25-Jul-2016

Well, the countdown is definitely on with just 25 days until Duyfken releases its lines and heads out of
Fremantle Harbour, sailing south to Bunbury on the first of nine voyages that make up the Duyfken 2016 Dirk Hartog 400th Anniversary Commemorative Voyage and Exhibition program.

It’s all getting very exciting, and to make sure that Duyfken leaves with somewhat of a bang, Board Member David Bowden has been going through
the process of having our bronze cannon commissioned for the very first time. That means that once we receive the last of our ticks, Duyfken will
be able to let it rip with one all mighty bang as she leaves Fremantle.

Caution is the word though, so the firing will take place a few hundred metres out to sea, just so that we don’t shatter any restaurant windows on the
waterfront.

Testing of the cannon took place out at the Wanneroo Firing Range, and as these photos highlight, there was one heck of a flame accompanying the resounding
bang. Word has it from those on site that the flame was in the order of 8–10 feet from the barrel. Bet you wish you’d been there too!

Anyway, this is all about adding some flavour to all our port visits, both on arrival and departure. You can imagine the assembled crowd’s reaction in
Bunbury, Mandurah, Hillarys, Jurien Bay, Dongara, Geraldton and Denham when they hear the cannon a sounding upon arrival into port.

And with STS Leeuwin and Young Endeavour joining us for the celebration in Denham, we are now suitably equipped to handle any hostile behaviour from the
crews of these vessels!